Radiation Therapy is the profession in which radiations are directed at diseased tissues in strictly controlled circumstances to cure or palliate the disease. The radiation therapist is in daily contact with the cancer patient, positioning them for treatment, performing mathematical calculations of radiation dosage and operating a variety of equipment that produces ionizing radiation. Therapists may also specialize in the area of treatment planning, which includes design and construction of various treatment devices, manual and computerized dose computations and dose measurement procedures. The radiation therapist has considerable responsibility in the area of patient care and must be knowledgeable regarding the psychology of dealing with terminally ill patients and their families.

Students practicing patient immobilization.

The Department of Medical Imaging & Radiation Sciences offers a four-year baccalaureate degree with programs in the areas of Radiography, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Therapy and Sonography. Students may apply to the professional phase of the program, which is offered at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City, after completing 64 hours of general education, inclusive of the prerequisite courses.

Each of the four professional programs begins in the summer of every year and consists of 68 semester hours of sequenced and integrated didactic and clinical courses. Students complete clinical assignments in selected hospital and clinic facilities located throughout the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. Program faculty determine student assignments to clinical rotation sites based upon each student’s abilities and clinical education needs.

Why should you choose a bachelor's degree program? Click here to learn more. The four-year program culminates in the baccalaureate degree in Medical Imaging (B.S.M.I.R.S.) in the specific discipline of study. Upon successful completion of the chosen educational program, the student is eligible to apply to the appropriate credentialing agency to sit for the certification examination in the respective profession.

In 1970 the department established a baccalaureate degree program in Radiography. Baccalaureate programs in Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Therapy were instituted in 1975. In 1978, the fourth program in Sonography was approved. The offering of baccalaureate degrees in all four disciplines within one academic department is unique in the country.

None of the four professions are prerequisite to one another or subordinate to any other. Each degree program can be entered directly after completion of prerequisite courses and selection by the Admissions Committee, through a competitive application process.

If you would like to explore radiation therapy further, view the following YouTube video

Course numbers are those of the University of Oklahoma. Approved prerequisite courses are offered at many institutions. Check the Transfer Equivalencies Database or with your school advisor regarding equivalent courses. There are instructions on that page on how to request a transcript evaluation for particular courses if your courses are not listed in the database.

All prerequisites are required unless noted in the footnotes. Please read the footnote descriptions located directly underneath the table.

OU Course Number

Course Title

Credit Hours

Footnote

MATH 1503

College Algebra

3

+

PSY 1113

Elements of Psychology

3

+

CHEM 1315

General Chemistry I & Lab

4-5

+

BIOL 2234

Human Anatomy

3-5

+

BIOL 2124

Human Physiology

4

+

BIOL 1114 & 1121 or BIOL 1005

Intro to Zoology w/lab or
Concepts in Biology

4-5

+

CL C 2413

Medical Vocabulary

2-3

+

ENGL 1913 or 3153

Writing for the Health Professions or Technical Writing

3

+

varies

Upper Level General Education Course

3

+ 1

ENGL 1113

English Composition I

3

+ 2

ENGL 1213

English Composition II

3

+ 2

varies

Foreign Language 1st Course

+ 2

varies

Foreign Language 2nd Course

+ 2

varies

Non-Western Culture

3

+ 2

HIST 1483 or 1493

U.S. History 1492-1865 or 1865-Present

3

+ 2

varies

Western Civilization & Culture

3

+ 2

P SC 1113

American Federal Government

3

* 2

varies

Understanding Art Forms

3

* 2

PHYS 2414

Physics I for Life Science Majors

4

*

(1) is required if applicant has not completed a Bachelor’s degree. It is recommended that the applicant take an approved upper level/division (3000 or 4000 level) non-western culture, western civilization & culture, or understanding art forms class. By taking an approved upper division course in one of those categories, two prerequisites can be completed with that one class.

(2) is not required for applicants that have an Associate of Science or Associate of Arts degree from an Oklahoma college. Not required for applicants that have a Bachelor’s degree. Foreign Language 1st and 2nd course are waived for applicants who completed two years in the same language in high school.

(+)Beginning with 2017 admissions, Foundation Courses are required to be completed before the application deadline (March 1st).

(*) must be completed prior to beginning the program in the summer if admitted.

Please note:varies = there are multiple courses that are equivalent for this prerequisite. If you are attending OU in Norman for these courses, click here for equivalent courses; if attending another institution, please check the Transfer Equivalency Database link below.

If you are planning to attend the University of Oklahoma Norman campus to fulfill your Western Civilization and Culture, Non-Western Culture, Understanding Art Forms, and/or Upper Level General Education prerequisite, please click here to review acceptable courses offered in these categories on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. Please remember to review footnote #1 above for instructions on the Upper Level General Education Course.

To be considered for admission, an applicant must:

have successfully completed, or be in the process of completing a minimum of sixty-four (64) semester hours of course work from an accredited college or university prior to admittance to the program;

have successfully completed all ‘Foundation Courses’ with grades of C or better prior to the application deadline as noted on the prerequisite table with +;

complete all prerequisites with a grade of C or better prior to the beginning of the program;

be in good standing with the college or university last or currently attending;

have a minimum grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale for all college work attempted. The College of Allied Health does not recognize academic forgiveness nor reprieve policies. All attempts of a course are included in the calculation of GPA;

earn a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (internet-based) within two years prior to application on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if English is the second language. TOEFL’s web address is toefl.org;

submit official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended and non-refundable application fees; and

submit a completed on-line application. Application deadline is March 1 for Summer. All official, sealed transcripts and TOEFL scores (if applicable) must be received by the application deadline. Late transcripts and test scores may result in an automatic denial.

Note: If you plan on applying to the program this year, submit an official, sealed transcript from every institution attended AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to ensure that we receive the transcripts by the application deadline. Transcripts take time to process from one institution to the other; therefore, order your transcripts ASAP! Once your fall grades have been posted, please mail us an updated transcript. Click on the following link for the address to mail your transcripts.

Application Review: Applicants who have fulfilled the admission requirements will be scheduled for an interview with the Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences Committee. Applicants are accepted into the program based on scores derived from these areas: Cumulative GPA, Science GPA, Career Goal Statement, and written interview.

Notification of Acceptance: The applicant must accept or decline the position through their online application within 14 days of the application decision. If notification is not received by 3rd week of May, contact the department.

Acceptance: The applicant must accept or decline the position in writing within 14 days of the electronic letter. Alternates will be selected according to numerical ranking. Alternates may be admitted up to the first class day for the summer semester if all positions have not been filled.

Students accepted for admission are required to confirm their intention to enroll and attend by paying a non-refundable deposit on enrollment. The deposit is applied toward tuition and fees during the first term.

Thank you for your application to the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences in the College of Allied Health at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. As a reminder, applicants accepted to the program for 2017 will begin programmatic classes on June 4, 2018.

We urge you to review your information on the application status view page to verify all of your application information is complete. The application status view page can be found at: https://apps.ouhsc.edu/admissions/

Please verify all of your previous and/or current schools, courses, and grades on your application status view. If any transcripts with grades through Fall 2017 are listed as “Needed”, you have until March 1st to provide the missing transcript(s) to the Office of Admissions and Records, P.O. Box 26901, LIB 121, Oklahoma City, OK 73126-0901. If the missing materials have not been received by March 1st, your application will be considered incomplete and you will not be considered for admission into the program. (If you are currently enrolled in classes for the spring semester and we have received a transcript with all current grades from that school for you, the “Needed” on that transcript on your application status view is regarding your spring grades; therefore, another transcript is not needed until you receive your final spring grades.)

If you have any questions regarding items on your application status view such as the entry of your grades, receipt of transcripts, etc., please contact the appropriate student advisor listed on your application status view. If your question is about your additional college materials (i.e. verification of education, career goal statement, or list of references), please contact the College by telephone at (405) 271-6588 or by email at alliedhealth-info@ouhsc.edu.

To expedite the application process, all applicants are required to attend the MIRS Orientation/Interview session scheduled for Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 5:30 pm. The session will conclude at approximately 7:30 pm.

The orientation and interview session will be held in the College of Allied Health Building, Room 1117 on the first floor. The College is located at 1200 N. Stonewall Ave. on the Health Sciences Center campus. Parking is available on the east side of the building in Lot O. Please do not park in any reserved spaces designated with a numbered green box painted in the space. Directions and a map can be found at http://alliedhealth.ouhsc.edu/ProspectiveStudents/VisitUs.aspx.

You will need to bring photo identification and writing utensils to the orientation/interview session. If you have applied to more than one program, you will be interviewed only once and the Admissions Committee will expect you to prioritize your preferences and discuss the reasons for your application to multiple majors.

The interview is an integral component of the admissions process for all applicants. It will begin with a group meeting to introduce the details of the admissions process and conclude with a written interview process. Your attendance is necessary to ensure the completeness of your application and to maximize your potential for success in the admissions process.

If you have extenuating circumstances or live out of state and cannot attend the March 8thsession, please call the department and speak to Ms. Renita Fair as soon as possible at (405) 271-6477. We look forward to meeting you.

Students may expect additional costs that include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, textbooks, lab fees, insurance, and supplies. Students are required to assume financial responsibilities for expenses associated with clinical requirements. For financial aid information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (405) 271-2118.

The high school early admission option for the nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, radiography, and sonography program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center was created to offer outstanding prospective students the opportunity to secure a position in one of the Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences programs prior to graduating from high school.

Admission Requirements - High School Early Admission:

To be considered for admission, an applicant must:

be in good standing with the high school currently attending;

have a minimum grade point average of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale for all high school work attempted;

have completed at least 3 high school science credits with grades of B or better;

have scored at least a 24 on the American Collegiate Testing (ACT) or equivalent SAT-I score of 1090; and

complete a minimum of 24 hours of volunteer experience in a health care setting no later than August 1st of the following year. (It is recommended to complete the volunteer experience prior to the application deadline if possible but not required.)

Application Procedure:

Applicants must submit the following by December 1 of their senior year:

A student admitted to the program must satisfy all the admission requirements before beginning the program and must maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and a 3.25 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Prerequisites must be completed within 2 years after high school graduation but no later than the end of May the year the student enters the program. Transcripts of all classes taken are required to be submitted at the end of each semester. Contact the College of Allied Health Office of Academic and Student Services by email at alliedhealth-info@ouhsc.edu or (405) 271-6588 with advisement questions. Should a student not fulfill the requirements, the early admission is forfeited and the student may apply through the regular admission process.

Conditionally accepted applicants to the College of Allied Health in the Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences will be required to obtain a Criminal History Background Check and a Drug Test. Conditionally accepted applicants who have an adverse finding on a criminal background report and/or drug test may be denied full admission. Many clinical facilities require the background check, including a check of the sex offenders list. It is the student’s responsibility to have the background check completed prior to starting the clinical experience and as instructed by the clinical coordinator. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain the background check for presentation to the clinical facility personnel.
Drug screening is required of all OUHSC students in designated programs as many clinical facilities require students to pass a drug test. It is the student’s responsibility to comply with the necessary procedures and consent forms for the required drug screening. Students who fail to adhere to the drug testing procedure established by the Department will be deferred for a year while documentation can be received for clearance.

Any arrest, charge or conviction for a felony or a misdemeanor may also affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the certification examination in their profession. For a fee, many certification boards will conduct a pre-assessment based on the student’s prior offenses to determine if the student would be allowed to sit for the board examination.

Students may contact the following certification boards directly for further information: